If the police conduct a search without a warrant, what term describes the legality of the evidence obtained?

When police conduct a search without a warrant, the evidence obtained is typically deemed inadmissible in court. This principle stems from the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution, which protects individuals from unreasonable searches and seizures. The general rule is that any evidence collected in violation of a person's Fourth Amendment rights cannot be used against them in a criminal trial. This is known as the exclusionary rule, which aims to deter law enforcement from conducting unlawful searches and ensures that individuals' constitutional rights are upheld.

In the context of this scenario, if no warrant was issued or if the search did not meet certain legal exceptions that allow for warrantless searches (such as exigent circumstances or consent), the evidence gathered during that search would not be considered legally valid. Hence, it would be classified as inadmissible in court proceedings.